Multi-path gateway communications device

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for enabling a virtual personalized network. Communications are established with a personal digital gateway to control access, sharing, security, and/or management of up-to-date personalized data exchanged between or among a plurality of associated communications devices and/or communications networks. The associated communications devices are owned, operated, and/or accessed by a common user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application relates to applicants' co-pending applicationentitled “Personal Digital Gateway,” (Attorney Docket 02-BS002/BS02075)filed simultaneously herewith and of which the “Brief Summary of theInvention” and “Detailed Description of the Invention” sections areincorporated herein by this reference.

[0002] This application also relates to applicants' co-pendingapplication entitled “Edge Side Assembler (ESA),” (Attorney Docket02-BS056/BS02493) filed simultaneously herewith and of which the “BriefSummary of the Invention” and “Detailed Description of the Invention”sections are incorporated herein by this reference.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

[0003] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and itsfigures contain material subject to copyright protection. The copyrightowner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of thepatent document or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves allcopyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] This invention generally relates to computer systems,communications, and communication devices. More particularly, thisinvention is directed to methods and systems for a personal digitalgateway that communicates with a linked communications device toautomatically provide customized presentation, selection, and managementof programs and/or data to the linked communications device.

[0006] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0007] Electronic communications has experienced explosive growth, andmore growth is planned as access increases and communications devicesimprove. This explosive growth is revolutionizing how people manage datashared among numerous communications devices. Each week, hundreds, ifnot thousands or more, of electronic documents, facsimiles, emails, andother proprietary data may be generated by or provided to a user (e.g.,owner or operator of the communications device). The user may desire tohave this data available on multiple communications devices, such as,for example, the user's personal digital assistant (PDA), the user'shome personal computer (PC), the user's office PC, and the user'swireless telephone. Typically, each of these communications devices iscustomized in terms of software, hardware, and network configuration.For example, the wireless telephone and the home PC have differentsoftware applications, data processing, storage, management, andcommunications systems.

[0008] One of the biggest barriers to managing multiple communicationsdevices is creating, accessing, and maintaining up-to-date personalizedinformation. This personalized information can be exchanged or otherwiseshared with each of the user's communications devices. For example, ifthe user wants to share contact information (e.g., name, phone numbers,addresses, etc.) between the wireless telephone and the home PC, thenthe user typically must enter this information twice—once on thewireless telephone and once on the home PC. If the user updates thecontact information for his/her home PC, then this updated informationis not communicated to the wireless phone and the user must update thewireless phone separately. Another barrier is providing this up-to-datepersonalized information in a standardized or otherwise compatible dataformat, depending on functionality limitations of the communicationsdevice, so that each of the communications devices has efficient andeffective access to the information. For example, conventional wirelessphones have limited functionality compared with the home PC. Typically,wireless telephones provide limited contact information, such as atelephone listing by name rather than full address books and/orcalendars. Additionally, conventional wireless telephones are unable torun application/software packages and may have limited capabilities fortransmitting, receiving, and displaying video data.

[0009] In addition to the above challenges, some communications devicesof the user also set forth a variety of login identifications and/orpasswords in order to provide privacy, authorization, and/or securityfor the communications device and/or the connected communicationsnetworks. For example, the wireless phone may have a security identifierthat activates service over the wireless network. In addition, thewireless phone may have another security identifier that accesses avoice messaging service. Typically, these identifiers are created andmanaged by the user. However, in some instance, such as accessing theuser's office PC, the user may not have control over creating andmanaging identifiers and passwords.

[0010] The above discussion illustrates how the sharing of up-to-datepersonalized information among various communications devices iscreating a new foundation for a virtual personalized network setting.With this emerging virtual personalized network setting, what is neededis a personalized digital gateway that builds communicationsinfrastructures to support and capitalize on the differentcommunications devices of the user to provide up-to-date personalizedinformation. Accordingly, personal digital gateway (PDG) informationsystems and components are needed that enable multiple communicationsdevices to share, transfer, and/or access standardized or otherwisecompatible up-to-date personalized information. Additionally, personaldigital gateway systems and components are needed to customizepresentation of the standardized up-to-date personalized informationbased on the functionalities of each communications device. Further, aneed exists to improve notification, access, and management of thepersonalized information without investing millions of dollars incomputer equipment, in networking infrastructures, in maintenance, andin training while also complying with security, authentication, and/orprivacy requirements.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The aforementioned problems and others are reduced by a personaldigital gateway (PDG). This PDG provides an interface between differentcommunications devices, networks, and systems and, thereby, providesuniversal access to and management of personalized information across avariety of communications devices. The PDG comprises systems and methodsthat leverage the assets of a connected communications device andassociated networks to facilitate improved access, sharing,notification, security, and/or management of data exchanged between oramong different communications devices of a user. Some advantages of thePDG include increased ability of each connected communications device toflexibly manage and categorize data that is exchanged with othercommunications devices, provide access to up-to-date data (includinguser preferences, passwords, and messages), and utilize a virtualpersonalized network to manage communications with connected networks,such as a public data network (e.g., Internet).

[0012] An embodiment of this invention describes a personal digitalgateway that may include a database of rule-based profiles forcommunicating data between the personal digital gateway and a selectedcommunications device, a processor for associating the rule-basedprofile with the selected communications device, and a communicationsinterface between the personal digital gateway and the selectedcommunications device. Additionally, the personal digital gateway mayinclude a server or a server application for selecting a personaldigital gateway rule-based profile from the database. Typically, theselected communications device is a wireless communications device, amobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAP phone, an IP phone, a satellitephone, a computer, a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digitalrecording device, a personal digital assistant, an interactivetelevision, a digital signal processor, and/or a Global PositioningSystem device. Additionally, the selected communications device mayinclude a bar code reader, digital read-out equipment, and programmableappliances (e.g., ovens, answering machines, alarm systems, etc.). Infurther embodiments, the personal digital gateway may include at leastone input/output port, a display, an audio subsystem, and/or a powersource.

[0013] Another embodiment describes a personal digital gateway thataccesses, integrates, and configures data communicated between thepersonal digital gateway and a selected communications device. Thepersonal digital gateway may include an input/output processor, acommunications interface, a memory device, a rule-based applicationdataserver, and a processor. The input/output processor allows input andoutput of the data with the personal digital gateway. The input/outputprocessor further operates with the communications interface to allowwired and/or wireless communications with the selected communicationsdevice. For example, a wired communications device may connect with thepersonal digital gateway via a cable connected to a serial or parallelport and a wireless communications device may transceive signals, suchas the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) Band frequencies, suchas, 2.4-2.5 GHz and 300-428,000 GHz for infrared transmission, cellulartelephone frequencies, such as, 806-960 MHz, 1710-1855 MHz, and2500-2690 MHz, paging frequencies, and any other frequency in theelectromagnetic spectrum. Additionally, the personal digital gateway mayinclude an audio/video recorder, an audio/video player, and a biometricsensor. Still in a further embodiment, the personal digital gatewayincludes an edge side assembler application for accessing, integrating,and converting the data to a format presentable to the selectedcommunications device.

[0014] In the above embodiment, a rule-based engine categorizes the dataas: (1) data associated with an access agent, (2) data associated with aconfiguration agent, (3) data associated with a security agent, and (4)data associated with a management agent. For example, data associatedwith the configuration agent may include information about hardware,software, and network configuration (including user preferences) of theselected communications device. In a preferred embodiment, a rule-basedapplication dataserver and associated rule-based profiles are used torun the rule-based engine. The rule-based application dataserver allowsthe user to control access, sharing, notification, security, and/ormanagement of the data exchanged with the selected communications devicevia a PDG rule-based profile associated with the above categories. In anembodiment, the rule-based application dataserver may be provided by thepersonal digital gateway. In other embodiments, the rule-basedapplication dataserver may be associated with the selectedcommunications device and/or network equipment of the selectedcommunications device. For example, a telecommunications serviceprovider could provide access to a remote rule-based dataserverassociated with the personal digital gateway via a modem connection witha personal computer. Thus, the user could remotely manage the datashared across numerous communications devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above and other embodiments, objects, uses, advantages, andnovel features of this invention are more clearly understood byreference to the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying figures, wherein:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing of an exemplary Personal DigitalGateway (PDG) according to an embodiment of this invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a schematic showing an exemplary operating environmentfor a PDG according to an embodiment of this invention;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an exemplary PDGconnected with a communications device and associated network accordingto an embodiment of this invention;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a schematic showing an exemplary configuration of thedata flow through a PDG, a connected communications device, and/or aconnected network according to an embodiment of this invention;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the flow of data through aPDG, a connected communications device, and a network according to anembodiment of this invention;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a schematic showing an exemplary embodiment of a PDG, aplurality of communications devices, and at least one networkcommunicating data according to an embodiment of this invention;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a schematic showing another exemplary embodiment of aPDG, a plurality of communications devices, and at least one networkcommunicating data according to an embodiment of this invention; and

[0023]FIG. 8 is a block diagram of another exemplary PDG according to anembodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] This invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodimentsare shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments setforth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover,all statements herein reciting embodiments of the invention, as well asspecific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural andfunctional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that suchequivalents include both currently known equivalents as well asequivalents developed in the future (i.e., any elements developed thatperform the same function, regardless of structure).

[0025] Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those of ordinaryskill in the art that the diagrams, schematics, flowcharts, and the likerepresent conceptual views or processes illustrating systems and methodsembodying this invention. The functions of the various elements shown inthe figures may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware aswell as hardware capable of executing associated software. Similarly,any switches shown in the figures are conceptual only. Their functionmay be carried out through the operation of program logic, throughdedicated logic, through the interaction of program control anddedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique beingselectable by the entity implementing this invention. Those of ordinaryskill in the art further understand that the exemplary hardware,software, processes, methods, and/or operating systems described hereinare for illustrative purposes and, thus, are not intended to be limitedto any particular named manufacturer.

[0026] A personal digital gateway is a device that interfaces differentcommunications devices, connected networks, and/or systems. The purposeof the personal digital gateway is to efficiently automate configurationand routing of data to different communications devices of a common userand to effectively manage this data and the different communicationsdevices. The personal digital gateway leverages the assets of theconnected communications device(s) in terms optimally using theconnected software, hardware, equipment, networks, and/or otherinformation technology assets. For example, the user's office PC mayhave a local and/or a wide area network that utilizes Ethernet,dedicated private lines, Frame Relay, ISDN, ATM, ADSL, and the like toprovide a high speed connection to a data network, such as the Internet,Intranet, and/or Extranet. Some advantages of the PDG include increasedability of each connected communications device to flexibly manage andcategorize data that is exchanged with other communications devices,provide access to up-to-date data (including user preferences,passwords, and messages), and utilize a virtual personalized network tomanage communications with connected networks, such as the Internet.

[0027] As used herein, the term “communications device” includes wiredand wireless communications devices, such as a mobile phone, a wirelessphone, a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) phone, a satellite phone acomputer, a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digital recordingdevice, a personal digital assistant, an interactive television, adigital signal processor, and/or a Global Positioning System device.Additionally, the term “communications device” may include a bar codereader, digital read-out equipment, and/or programmable appliances(e.g., ovens, refrigerators, washers, and other appliances, answeringmachines, alarm systems, etc.). Further, as used herein, the term “data”includes electronic information, such as, for example facsimile,electronic mail (e-mail), text, video, audio, and/or voice in a varietyof formats, such as dual tone multi-frequency, digital, analog, and/orothers. Additionally, the data may include: (1) executable programs,such as a software application, (2) an address, location, and/or otheridentifier of the storage location for the data, (3) integrated orotherwise combined files, such as a grouping of emails associated withthe user's personal Internet Service Provider and with the user'sbusiness electronic messaging system, and/or (4) profiles associatedwith configuration, authenticity, security, and others. In variousembodiments, the data may be stored by the PDG, a peripheral storagedevice connected to the PDG, the selected communications device, anetwork connected with the selected communication device, and/or otherconnected networks. Thus, the PDG provides a virtual personalizednetwork of universal data controlled by the user.

[0028] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing aPDG Management Module 110 residing in a personal digital gateway 100.The PDG Management Module 110 operates within a system memory device.The PDG Management Module 110, for example, is shown residing in amemory subsystem 12. The PDG Management Module 110, however, could alsoreside in flash memory 14 and/or in a peripheral storage device, such asstorage device 40 associated with a PDG rule-based dataserver 42. Thepersonal digital gateway 100 also has one or more central processors 20executing an operating system. The operating system, as is well known,has a set of instructions that control the internal functions of thepersonal digital gateway 100. A system bus 22 communicates signals, suchas data signals, control signals, and address signals, between thecentral processors 20 and a system controller 24 (typically called a“Northbridge”). The system controller 24 provides a bridging functionbetween the one or more central processors 20, a graphics subsystem 26,the memory subsystem 12, and a PCI (Peripheral Controller Interface) bus28. The PCI bus 28 is controlled by a Peripheral Bus Controller 30. ThePeripheral Bus Controller 30 (typically called a “Southbridge”) is anintegrated circuit that serves as an input/output hub for variousperipheral ports. These peripheral ports could include, for example, akeyboard port 32, a mouse port 34, a serial port 36 and/or a parallelport 38. Additionally, these peripheral ports would allow the personaldigital gateway to communicate with a variety of communications devicesthrough ports 54 (such as SCSI or Ethernet), Wireless Transceiver 52(using the IEEE Wireless standard 802.11 and Infrared), and Wired CommDevice Port 50 (such as modem V90+and compact flash slots). ThePeripheral Bus Controller 30 could also include an audio subsystem 35.Additionally, the personal digital gateway may include a network server44 operating with a network browser 46. The network server 44 and thenetwork browser 46 may be stand alone components or they may beintegrated into the PDG dataserver 42. Still further, the personaldigital gateway 100 may include a power source 60, such as arechargeable battery to provide power and allow the personal digitalgateway 100 to be portable.

[0029] The processor 20 is typically a microprocessor. Advanced MicroDevices, Inc., for example, manufactures a full line of microprocessors,such as the ATHLON™ (ATHLON™is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices,Inc., One AMD Place, P.O. Box 3453, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94088-3453,408.732.2400, 800.538.8450, www.amd.com). Sun Microsystems also designsand manufactures microprocessors (Sun Microsystems, Inc., 901 SanAntonio Road, Palo Alto Calif. 94303, www.sun.com). The IntelCorporation manufactures microprocessors (Intel Corporation, 2200Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, Calif. 95052-8119, 408.765.8080,www.intel.com). Other manufacturers also offer microprocessors. Suchother manufacturers include Motorola, Inc. (1303 East Algonquin Road,P.O. Box A3309 Schaumburg, Ill. 60196, www.Motorola.com), InternationalBusiness Machines Corp. (New Orchard Road, Armonk, N.Y. 10504, (914)499-1900, www.ibm.com), and Transmeta Corp. (3940 Freedom Circle, SantaClara, Calif. 95054, www.transmeta.com).

[0030] The preferred operating system is a LINUX® or a RED HAT®LINUX®-based system (LINUX® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvaldsand RED HAT® is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc., ResearchTriangle Park, N.C., 1-888-733-4281, www.redhat.com). Other operatingsystems, however, may be suitable. Such other operating systems wouldinclude a UNIX®-based system (UNIX® is a registered trademark of TheOpen Group, 44 Montgomery Street, Suite 960, San Francisco, Calif.94104, 415.374.8280, www.opengroup.org). and Mac® OS (Mac® is aregistered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., 1 Infinite Loop,Cupertino, Calif. 95014, 408.996.1010, www.apple.com). Another operatingsystem would include DOS-based systems. WINDOWS® and WINDOWS NT® arecommon examples of DOS-based systems (WINDOWS® and WINDOWS NT® areregistered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way,Redmond Wash. 98052-6399, 425.882.8080, www.Microsoft.com).

[0031] The system memory device (shown as memory subsystem 12, flashmemory 14, or peripheral storage device 40) may also contain one or moreapplication programs. For example, an application program may cooperatewith the operating system and with a video display unit (via the serialport 36 and/or the parallel port 38) to provide a Graphical UserInterface (GUI) for the PDG Management Module 110. The GUI typicallyincludes a combination of signals communicated along the keyboard port32 and the mouse port 34. The GUI provides a convenient visual and/oraudible interface with the user of the personal digital gateway 100. Asis apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the selection andarrangement of the PDG Management Module 110 may be programmed over avariety of alternate mediums, such as, for example, a voice-activatedmenu prompt.

[0032]FIG. 2 is an exemplary operating environment that illustrates thepersonal digital gateway 100 communicating with a communications device150 and with a network 160. The communications device 150 and thenetwork 160 may also communicate with each other (e.g., Office PC shownas reference numeral 603 and shared, interconnected network 670 of FIG.6). FIG. 3 shows another exemplary operating environment with additionaldetails of how the user may interact with a User Interface 302 to selecta PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 and/or the data 306 to communicate with thecommunications device 150 and/or network 160. A router 310 of thepersonal digital gateway 100 chooses a communications path 312 and anEdge Side Assembler 314 accesses, integrates, and configures the data306 (including remote data that is stored within the communicationsdevice 150 and/or network 160) to communicate with the communicationsdevice 150 (or, alternatively, with the personal digital gateway 100).While FIG. 3 shows the personal digital gateway 100 comprising the UserInterface 302, the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304, the data 306, the router310, the communications path analyzer 312, and the Edge Side Assembler314, each may be separate components. The router 310, for example, maybe a stand-alone component communicating with the other components.

[0033] The PDG Management Module 110 of the personal digital gateway 100allows a user to manage protocol transfer across a variety ofcommunications devices and networks and to manage communications ofmobile data associated with the personal digital gateway 100. Forexample, PDG Management Module 110 allows: (1) the user to customize oneor more PDG rule-based profiles 304 of a rule-based applicationdataserver (shown as reference numeral 42 in FIG. 1) including aconfiguration agent (e.g., MyCommController), a security agent (e.g.,MyCredentials), an access agent (e.g., MyProfile), a management agent(e.g., MyPDGTools), and data associated with the common user (e.g.,MyMobileInfo); (2) the user to customize presentation, features, and/ormanagement of communications between the personal digital gateway 100and the communications device 150; and (3) the user to manage networkconnection(s) of the personal digital gateway 100 and/or thecommunications device 150. For example, the user may select aconfiguration agent (MyCommController) having a list of communicationsdevices (e.g., personal digital assistant, mobile phone, home PC, officePC, MP3 player, etc.) and add to, delete from, and/or modify theconfiguration profile of the communications device, such as,connectivity parameters and device functionality parameters (e.g.,capability to present audio or video and capability to run portableapplications). This information is stored with the PDG Rule-BasedProfile 304 of the connected communications device 150 and may act as atrigger for routing, configuring, and formatting communicationsincluding data 306 associated with the rule-based application dataserver42. The PDG Management Module 110 also allows the user to customizefeatures, such as data handling options. For example, the PDG ManagementModule 110 may split a display screen of the selected communicationsdevice (and/or personal digital gateway 100) into two viewing areas andpresent the management controls (e.g., access agent, security agent,etc.) in one portion and present the data that has been or that might beintegrated for communications between the personal digital gateway 100and the connected communications device 150 in the other portion.Further, the PDG Management Module 110 may allow the user to controlwhether to accept, decline, or postpone integration of the data with theconnected communications device 150, or alternatively, may be set toautomatically accept, decline, or postpone integration depending onrules contained in the PDG rule-based profile 304. Still further, thePDG Management Module 110 of the personal digital gateway 100 allows auser to control additional processing of the data, such as editing thedata, copying the data, deleting the data, associating the data withremote data, links, and otherwise related data linking the data, storingthe data, administering the data, compressing the data, anduncompressing the data (via MyPDGTools) and encrypting/decrypting thedata (via MyCredentials). Finally, the PDG Management Module 110 of thepersonal digital gateway 100 may provide a network address, such as anIP address or the like, of the connected communications device 150 sothat a connected network 160, such as a telecommunications networkand/or a data network, can communicate the data (e.g., remote dataand/or linked data) and, thus integrate telephony events and datanetwork events with the user's connected communications device 150.

[0034] The PDG Rule-Based DataServer Application 42 (also referred toherein as the “PDG DataServer”) functions as an intelligent server,database, and processor that is dedicated to managing personal digitalgateway activity including communications with the connectedcommunications device 150 and/or the connected network 160. The PDGDataServer 42 stores one or more PDG Rule-Based Profiles 304 thatinclude data and/or applications associated with various agents,including MyCommController, MyCredentials, MyProfile, MyPDGTools, and/ora troubleshooting agent. For example, MyCredentials may contain avariety of fields and/or files associated with at least one of thefollowing: login information associated with the user, passwordassociated with the user, telephone number and/or Service Node of theuser, TCP/IP address of the user, other addresses and passwordsassociated with a communications device and/or network of the user, andencryption/decryption tools. Still another example includesMyCommController that may contain a variety of fields and/or filesassociated with presentation formats for various communications devicesand other information associated with the communications signal, size,and content of data, display of a GUI (e.g., color, font, placement ofPDG Management Module 110 on screen, etc.), and other selections relatedto PDG management, such as routing and troubleshooting problems or errormessages.

[0035] In an embodiment, the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 contains aMyMobileInfo database including links or address of remote data andlinked data, thereby providing a mobile virtual database. TheMyMobileInfo may also contain rules associated with and databases for(1) file storage of mobile data (i.e., MyFiles), (2) file storage backup(i.e., MyBackupGateway), (3) personal journal storage (i.e., MyJournal),(4) bookmarks, cookies, caches, and other networked links (i.e.,MyBookmarks), (5) copy and paste features (i.e., MyClipboard), (6)personal profiles and preferences, such groupings, categories, timingsequences to automatically refresh linked sites, etc. (i.e., MyProfile),and (7) identification, authentication, and security credentials forassociated communications devices, such as username, password, etc.(i.e., data associated with MyCredentials).

[0036] Additionally, the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 may containinformation from other engines. For example, MyCommController engineprovides rules and databases for creating, accessing, and/or otherwisemanaging communications with associated communications devices that canbe connected with the personal digital gateway 100. MyCommControllermaintains information about each communications device, such ascommunications medium (e.g., via Infrared connection, USB connection,the family of IEEE 802.11 standards, etc.) and network routing. Forexample, network routing provides a virtual private router that tunnelsthe user's network access to any communications device connected withthe personal digital gateway 100. Still further, the PDG ManagementModule 110 may contain another engine, MyPersonalContentDistributor,that provides rules and databases for creating, sharing, and/orotherwise managing data that can be distributed through the connectedcommunications device 150 and/or the network 160. For example, in anembodiment, when data associated with a work file co-authored with otherindividuals is updated, a mail message with the attached updated file isgenerated and sent to co-authors. The user may confirm sending thegenerated message, or alternatively, the message may be automaticallysent using routing instructions. Still another example according toanother embodiment includes sending a query to a list of contactswhenever a picture is uploaded or otherwise detected by the personaldigital gateway 100. The query may be sent as an email to advisecontacts of the picture and ask if the contact would like a copy. If so,the contact can select a link contained in the email and download a copyof the picture. Additionally, the contact may be charged an automaticfee that is programmed with the downloading of the picture and the feemay be communicated back to and accounted for by the personal digitalgateway 100 or the communications device 150.

[0037]FIG. 4 is a schematic illustrating an exemplary framework of thedata flow through a PDG, a connected communications device, and/or aconnected network according to an embodiment of this invention. The user(not shown) of the personal digital gateway 100 may use the UserInterface 302 to input and/or otherwise identify data 306 (e.g.,inserting a compact disc of data into a locally connected storagedevice, such as reference numeral 610 in FIG. 6 or inputting an address,such as a domain name into a network browser). Thereafter, the user mayselect the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 to associate, or alternatively,the personal digital gateway may automatically associate the Rule-BasedProfile 304 (such as when MyProximityDetector identifies thecommunications device 150 within a selected proximity and initiatescommunications). The PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 and the data 306 areprocessed by the Edge Side Assembler 314. The Edge Side Assembler 314identifies the data 306 (including data 306 associated with the PDGRule-Based Profile 304), locates remote data, and associates the EdgeSide Assembly profile (410) (if available). Next, the Edge SideAssembler 314 configures a query for remote data 306, accesses thecommunications device 150 and/or the network 160 to execute the query,receives the remote data 306, and integrates the remote data 306 withdata 306 associated with the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 and/or ESAProfile 410. Thereafter, the Edge Side Assembler 314 formats/configuresthe integrated data 306 for a presentation by the communications device150, or alternatively, by the personal digital gateway. Additionally,the Edge Side Assembler 314 may compress and/or decompress data 306communicated with the communications device 150, the network 160, andthe personal digital gateway (e.g., local storage device 610 shown inFIG. 6). Still further, the Edge Side Assembler may encrypt and/ordecrypt data 306 communicated with the communications device 150, thenetwork 160, and the personal digital gateway.

[0038]FIG. 5 is an exemplary flow diagram of the flow of the data 306through the personal digital gateway 100, communications device 150,and/or network 160. Typically, the flow of the data 306 involves theuser using the personal digital gateway 100 to communicate the PDGRule-Based Profile 304 and/or data 306 (including locally stored dataand associated remote and/or linked data) (step 505). The PDG Rule-BasedProfile 304 and data 306 are routed to and received by thecommunications device 150 and, if applicable, the ESA profile 410associates additional data (step 510). The Edge Side Assembler 314determines whether external network(s) 160 and/or communications devices150 need to be queried for remote data 306 and/or for refreshing linkeddata 306 (step 515). If so, the Edge Side Assembler 314 establishescommunications with the network 160 and/or communications device 150 androutes a query to retrieve the remote and/or linked data 306 (step 520).The network 160 and/or communications device 150 receives the query(step 525), retrieves the data (step 530), and transmits the data 306 tothe personal digital gateway 100 150 (step 535). Thereafter, thepersonal digital gateway 100 receives, integrates (step 540), andconfigures (step 545) the data (including remote and linked data) 306for compatible exchange with the personal digital gateway 100, theconnected communications device 150, and/or the connected network 160.Additionally, the data 306 may be compressed and/or encrypted (step 550)and presented to the communications device 150 (step 555). Typically,the Edge Side Assembler 314 is integrated into the personal digitalgateway 100. Alternatively, the Edge Side Assembler 314 may be a standalone system (not shown in the figures), may be integrated into aconnected communications device 150, and/or may be integrated into thenetwork 160. No matter how the Edge Side Assembler 314 is deployed, thedata 306 is integrated and processed so that it is compatible forpresentation by the communications device 150 (step 445) (oralternatively, by the personal digital gateway 100 (not shown)).Thereafter, the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304, ESA profile 410, and/or data306 (e.g., associated data files stored on local storage device 610shown in FIG. 6) may be updated (step 560). For example, in anembodiment, the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304 may contain rules forrefreshing a bookmark associated with a connected network such that acollection of bookmarks are stored over time that show a specificversion of the data associated with the bookmark and a date stamp. Whilethe process in FIG. 5 is generally shown in series, the process mayoccur in different orders and/or at simultaneous times as one ofordinary skill in the art will understand.

[0039] FIGS. 6-7 are schematics showing the personal digital gateway 100communicating with a variety of wireless and wired communicationsdevices (shown as reference numerals 601-602 in FIG. 6 and referencenumerals 701-706 in FIG. 7) and a communications network (shown asreference numeral 670 in FIG. 6) according to other embodiments of thisinvention. The means of communicating the data 306 between or among thepersonal digital gateway 100, the communications device, and thecommunications network include a variety of means, including opticaltransmission of data (e.g., any medium capable of optically transmittingthe data), wireless transmission of data (e.g., wireless communicationsof the data using any portion of the electromagnetic spectrum), and/orfixed-wire transmission of data (e.g., any medium capable oftransmitting electrons along a conductor). Fiber optic technologies,spectrum multiplexing (such as Dense Wave Division Multiplexing),Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet services, Infrared, the family of IEEE802.11 standards, and Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) are just someexamples of the transmission means.

[0040]FIG. 6 illustrates a virtual personalized network system thatincludes the personal digital gateway 100 coupled with a local storagedevice 610, a variety of communications devices that include aninteractive television 601, a Global Positioning System (GPS)transceiver 602, an office personal computer (PC) 603, and a home PC604, a communications cable 605, a satellite transceiver 610, acommunications device gateway 620, a communications device data network620, a communications device server 640, at least one switch 650, awireless transceiver 660, a transceiver network 665, and a shared,interconnected network 670. In an embodiment, the personal digitalgateway 100 transmits and receives signals with one of the wirelesscommunications devices (i.e., the interactive television 501 or the GPStransceiver 602) to communicate data 306. For example, the personaldigital gateway 100 may communicate with the interactive television 601to communicate data stored on the local data source 610 and data storedon a remote data source, such as, for example a data storage device ofthe home PC 604 (the home PC 604 is accessed via the shared,interconnected network 670). The interactive television 601 communicatesvia an antenna (not shown) with the satellite 610 that transmits arequest for the remote and/or linked data through the communicationsdevice gateway 620 connected to the communications device network 630.If necessary, the communications device network 630 routes the requestfor the remote and/or linked data through a communications server 640and switch 650 to the shared, interconnected network 670. Alternatively,the personal digital gateway 100 may communicate the data 306 with thetransceiver 660 and an associated transceiver network 665 that routescommunications directly to the shared, interconnected network 670. Theshared, interconnected network 670 can access other connected networksand communications devices. For example, the shared, interconnectednetwork 670 could access the home PC 604 through switch 650 to retrievedata from a hard drive of the home PC 604. The shared, interconnectednetwork 670 transmits the remote and/or linked data back through thecommunications path to the interactive television 601 or, alternatively,to the personal digital gateway 100 for integration and presentationformatting by the Edge Side Assembler 314. Additionally, the shared,interconnected network 670 could transmit the data back to a connectedcommunications device via another communications path. For example, thedata could be transmitted from the shared, interconnected network toswitch 650 coupled with the office PC 603 wired over communicationscable 605 to the personal digital assistant 100 to communicate to theinteractive television 601. The interactive television 601 couldalternatively communicate via a fixed transmission path, such as a cableline and/or a telephone line (neither shown), to communicate a requestfor the remote data 306 and/or linked data 306.

[0041]FIG. 7 illustrates a virtual personalized network system thatincludes the personal digital gateway 100 coupled with a local storagedevice 610, a variety of communications devices that include a mobilephone 701, a personal digital assistant (PDA) 702, an interactive pager703, a modem 704, an MP3 player, a digital signal processor 706, anoffice personal computer (PC) 603, and a home PC 604, a communicationscable 605, an antenna 710, a mobile switching telephone office (MTSO)720, a communications device gateway 620, a communications device datanetwork 620, a communications device server 640, at least one switch650, and a shared, interconnected network 670. In an embodiment, thepersonal digital gateway 100 transmits and receives signals with one ofthe wireless communications devices (i.e., shown as reference numerals701-706) to communicate data 306. For example, the personal digitalgateway 100 may communicate with the mobile phone 701 to communicatedata stored on the local data source 610 and data stored on a remotedata source, such as, for example a data storage device of the home PC604 (the home PC 604 is accessed via the shared, interconnected network670). The mobile phone 701 communicates via an antenna 710 to the MTSO720, and the MTSO 720 forwards a request for the remote data 306 and/orlinked data 306 to the shared, interconnected network 670. The requestfrom the MTSO 720 may be routed either through the switch 650 directlyor through the communications device gateway 620, the communicationsdevice network 630, the communications device network 630, thecommunications server 640, and switch 650. Alternatively, the personaldigital gateway 100 may communicate the data 306 with the transceiver660 and an associated transceiver network 665 that routes communicationsdirectly to the shared, interconnected network 670. As described abovefor FIG. 6, the shared, interconnected network 670 can access otherconnected networks and communications devices. The shared,interconnected network 670 transmits the remote and/or linked data backthrough the communications path to the interactive mobile phone 701 or,alternatively, to the personal digital gateway 100 for integration andpresentation formatting by the Edge Side Assembler 314. Additionally, asdescribed above for FIG. 6, the shared, interconnected network 670 couldtransmit the data back to a connected communications device via anothercommunications path.

[0042] Because of the mobility of the personal digital gateway 100, theability of the personal digital gateway 100 to communicate the data 306over a variety of paths allows the personal digital gateway 100 todynamically communicate with a variety of communications devices basedon the proximity of a communications device. For example, if the user ismoving about, the personal digital gateway 100, may automaticallyinterface with the office PC 603 when the user is at his/her office,with the mobile phone 701 when the user is within a certain proximity(e.g., distance) of the mobile phone 701, with the PDA 702 when the useris within a certain proximity of the PDA 702, etc. Regardless of thecommunications device communicating with the personal digital gateway100, the data 306 may need to be configured and/or otherwise formattedfor the most up-to-date connected communications device (includingaudio, text (e.g., ASCII), video, other digital formats, and combinationthereof). Thus, the Edge Side Assembler 314 has the intelligence toidentify configurations and formats of the most up-to-date connectedcommunications device and to initiate integration and configuration thedata 306 (including remote and/or linked) for presentation by the mostup-to-date connected communications device, or alternatively, thepersonal digital assistant 100.

[0043]FIG. 8 is a block diagram of another personal digital gateway 800embodying this invention. This apparatus allows an Edge Side Assembler314 to generate or otherwise integrate and/or configure data 306(including remote and/or linked data) for presentation by a connectedcommunications device. The personal digital gateway 860 includes the PDGManagement Module 110 operating within a memory device of a digitalsignal processor 810. The memory device could include internal memory812 of the digital signal processor 810, or the memory device couldinclude an external memory 814 communicating with the digital signalprocessor 810. The digital signal processor 810 converts analog signalsto digital signals and converts digital signals to analog signals. Thedigital signal processor 810 could include compression and decompressionalgorithms, cancellation algorithms, audio-processing circuitry, filtercircuitry, and amplifier circuitry. Although digital signal processorscan be designed to provide differing capabilities and a variety ofperformance criteria, the basic functions of the digital signalprocessor are known and, thus, will not be further discussed.

[0044] The digital signal processor 810 interfaces with an input/outputprocessor 816. The input/output processor 816 controls systeminput/output and provides telephony and/or computer control features. Abus 818 provides a signal communication path between the digital signalprocessor 810 and the input/output processor 816. The input/outputprocessor 816 is a microprocessor that includes memory (not shown),communication controllers (not shown), and peripheral controllers (notshown). The communication controllers, for example, could controlpacket-based communications with the connected communications device anda connected network through a wireless transceiver 820 or through awired communications port 828. The communication controllers could alsocontrol packet-based communications with a communications switch (shownas reference numeral 650 in FIGS. 6-7). The peripheral controllersprovide an interface with an LCD/LED/CRT display 826 and withtelephony/computer-like control features, such as a keypad 824.Additionally, the peripheral controllers provide an interface with abiometrics sensor 822, such as, for example, a fingerprint ID device.The biometrics sensor 822 may provide security features that preventunauthorized users from exploiting personal digital gateway 800. Thebiometrics sensor 872 could also comprise retina recognition device andsoftware, DNA/RNA recognition device and software, facial recognitiondevice and software, speech recognition device and software, and/orscent recognition device and software.

[0045] The digital signal processor 800 also interfaces with an externalvoice/video player system 836 and/or with a voice/video recorder system838 to audibly and/or visually communicate data. Further, a clock source832 provides a system clock for the apparatus 800, and the clock source832 may also include higher and lower frequency multiples of the systemclock depending upon power requirements and power availability. Stillfurther, a power management system 830 provides differing power controlmechanisms, such as a sleep mode and a low-power mode, to efficientlyutilize available power and to reduce thermal management concerns.

[0046] The personal digital gateway 800 access, integrates, configures,and/or otherwise generates the data 306 for presentation to theconnected communications device. If, for example, the personal digitalgateway 800 communicates with a PDA (shown as reference numeral 702 inFIG. 7), the PDG Management Module 110 may appear on the display 804and/or otherwise cause the personal digital gateway 800 to visually oraudibly alert the user of the connection with the PDA. Thereafter, thewireless communications interface 820 (or alternatively the wiredcommunications interface 828) communicates the data 306 via acommunications link to the PDA. The data 306 may include informationassociated with the PDG Rule-Based Profile 304. When the data 306 iscommunicated, the digital signal processor 810 interfaces with the PDGManagement Module 110 and with the internal memory 812 and/or theexternal memory 814. The PDG Management Module 110 instructs the digitalsignal processor 810 to initiate the Edge Side Assembler 314 to access,integrate, configure, and/or otherwise process the data 306 stored inthe memory device and the data received from remote and/or linkedsources. Once the data is accessed and retrieved (if remote and/orlinked data), the personal digital gateway 800 generates and/orotherwise integrates the data for communication with the connectedcommunications device. The digital signal processor 10 interfaces withan Edge Side Assembler (ESA) Generator System 834. The ESA GeneratorSystem 834 executes the presentation format for the connectedcommunications device, populates associated fields and/or files, andpresents the data 306.

[0047] While several exemplary implementations of embodiments of thisinvention are described herein, various modifications and alternateembodiments will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art.Accordingly, this invention is intended to include those othervariations, modifications, and alternate embodiments that adhere to thespirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A personal digital gateway, comprising: adatabase of personal digital gateway rule-based profiles forcommunicating data to a communications device selected from a pluralityof communications devices, the rule-based profile categorizing the dataas at least one of (1) data associated with an access agent, (2) dataassociated with a configuration agent, (3) data associated with asecurity agent, and (4) data associated with a management agent; aprocessor, the processor associating a personal digital gatewayrule-based profile with the selected communications device; and acommunications interface between the personal digital gateway and theselected communications device, wherein the personal digital gatewayenables communication of the data with each communications device of theplurality of communications devices, the plurality of communicationsdevices comprising a wireless communications device, a mobile phone, awireless phone, a WAP phone, an IP phone, a satellite phone, a computer,a modem, a pager, a digital music device, a digital recording device, apersonal digital assistant, an interactive television, a digital signalprocessor, and a Global Positioning System device.
 2. The personaldigital gateway of claim 1, further comprising: a server for selectingthe personal digital gateway rule-based profile from the database ofpersonal digital gateway rule-based profiles.
 3. The personal digitalgateway of claim 1, further comprising: at least one input/output portto for communicating data to the personal digital gateway.
 4. Thepersonal digital gateway of claim 3, wherein the at least oneinput/output port comprises at least one of the following: a keyboardport; a mouse port; a serial port; and a parallel port;
 5. The personaldigital gateway of claim 1, further comprising: a display forcommunicating visual data with the personal digital gateway.
 6. Thepersonal digital gateway of claim 1, further comprising: an audiosubsystem for communicating audio data with the personal digitalgateway.
 7. The personal digital gateway of claim 1, further comprising:a power source for the personal digital gateway.
 8. The personal digitalgateway of claim 7, wherein the power source is a rechargeable batterypower source.
 9. The personal digital gateway of claim 1, wherein thememory device is removable from the personal digital gateway:
 10. Thepersonal digital gateway of claim 1, further comprising: atelecommunications switch, the telecommunications switch establishing atelephony connection with a telecommunications network, thetelecommunications switch engaged in a data connection associated withthe selected communications device.
 11. The personal digital gateway ofclaim 10, the telecommunications switch further communicating the datawith the telecommunications network.
 12. The personal digital gateway ofclaim 11, the telecommunications network further communicating the datawith a data network.
 13. The personal digital gateway of claim 12, thedata network connected with a gateway, the gateway communicating thedata with the selected communications device.
 14. The personal digitalgateway of claim 11, the telecommunication network having a rule-basedapplication dataserver providing a rule-based engine to categorize thedata as at least one of (1) data associated with an access agent, (2)data associated with a configuration agent, (3) data associated with asecurity agent, and (4) data associated with a management agent.
 15. Apersonal digital gateway, comprising: at least one input/outputprocessor to input and to output data with the personal digital gateway;at least one communications interface for communicating data with acommunications device selected from a plurality of communicationsdevices, the plurality of communications devices comprising a wirelesscommunications device, a mobile phone, a wireless phone, a WAP phone, anIP phone, a satellite phone, a computer, a modem, a pager, a digitalmusic device, a digital recording device, a personal digital assistant,an interactive television, a digital signal processor, and a GlobalPositioning System device; a memory device for storing the data; arule-based application dataserver providing a rule-based engine tocategorize the data as at least one of (1) data associated with anaccess agent, (2) data associated with a configuration agent, (3) dataassociated with a security agent, and (4) data associated with amanagement agent; and a processor communicating with the memory device,the processor selecting data stored in the memory device based uponinformation contained within a rule-based profile.
 16. The personaldigital gateway of claim 15, further comprising: an audio/videorecorder; and an audio/video player.
 17. The personal digital gateway ofclaim 15, wherein the at least one communications interface comprises atleast one of a wireless communications transceiver and a wiredcommunications port.
 18. The personal digital gateway of claim 17,wherein the wireless communications interface communicates signals, thesignals comprising at least one of: cellular telephone frequencies,satellite telephone frequencies, 2.4-2.5 GHz, infrared frequencies. 19.The personal digital gateway of claim 17, wherein the wirelesscommunications interface communicates signals, the signals furthercomprising any frequency signal in the electromagnetic spectrum.
 20. Thepersonal digital gateway of claim 15, further comprising: a biometricsensor for identifying a user of the personal digital gateway.
 21. Thepersonal digital gateway of claim 15, further comprising: an edge sideassembler application for accessing, integrating, and converting thedata to a format presentable to the selected communications device.